Basic Chinchilla Care
Diet:
- Commercial chinchilla pellets (I prefer Oxbow brand) @ 1-2 tbsp/day
- Free choice timothy or grass hay
- Dark Leafy Greens: Mustard greens, Endive, Kale, Carrot tops, Turnip Greens, Dandelion, etc.
- If offered at all, grains, dried apples, raisins, figs and seeds/nuts should be limited to no more than 1 tsp/day
- Clean, fresh water. Sipper tubes are preferred.
- Porous stones (pumice), young branches of trees (elm, grapevines, maple, birch) and bark (apple, pear, and peach trees). Avoid poisonous trees.
Housing:
Multilevel cage (minimally 6.6’x6.6’x3.3’) with a wooden nest box and a dust bath (typically offered twice a week).
Facts
life span:…………………………… 10 yrs average
weight……………………………… 400-600 grms
maturity……………………………. 8 months
estrous cycle……………………… seasonally polyestrous
length………………………………. 30-50 days
ovulation………………………….. spontaneous
gestation period………………… 105-118 days
litter size…………………………… 1-6 (2 on ave)
normal birth weight……………. 30-50 grms
weaning age……………………… 6-8 weeks
temperature………………………. 98.6-100.4F
heart rate …………………………. 100-150 bpm (at rest)
Force feeding:
Mix blenderized alphalpha pellets (1 part), mixed vegetables (3 parts), add water as needed to make a pancake batter consistency. Feed 2-3x a day until eating better. Oxbow makes a superior product called Critical Care that is available at your local veterinarian office.
Flea control:
Advantage: Apply 2 drops to level of skin between shoulder blades.
Veterinary care:
As with other exotic species, annual exams are recommended to provide the best opportunity to detect and treat sub-clinical diseases (hidden problems). Fecal exams are also a good idea to evaluate for parasites, protozoa’s and certain bacteria. After 4-5 years of age, we also recommend annual blood screening and in some cases screening radiographs (jaw, thorax and abdomen).
Most common reasons for veterinary evaluation:
Nutritional (diet related)
Trauma
Dental Disease
Digestive Tract Disorders
Fur/skin disorders
Note:
This handout is only a very basic guide for Chinchilla care. We recommend that you invest in some books on the subject and ask your vet any questions that you come up with.
